I had the final real following open sight with respect to distant stars (8)
I believe the answer is:
sidereal
'respect to distant stars' is the definition.
I can't tell whether this definition defines the answer.
'i had the final real following open sight' is the wordplay.
'i had' becomes 'i'd' (contraction).
'final' indicates one should take the final letters.
'following' means one lot of letters go next to another.
'open' suggests taking the first letters (take the opening letter).
The final letter of 'the' is 'e'.
The initial letter of 'sight' is 's'.
'id'+'e'+'real'='idereal'
'idereal' put after 's' is 'SIDEREAL'.
'with' is the link.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for sidereal that I've seen before include "involving stars" , "Relating to the distant stars" , "Realised (anag) -- relating to the stars" , "Full of stars" , "Of the stars or constellations" .)